Delegates attend a presentation at RANZCOG ASM.

Bidding for an international conference

If you’d like to bid for and host an international conference in Wellington, you can get free guidance and support from the Business Events Wellington team. Find out the process for bidding and how we can help.

Hosting an international conference is an opportunity to showcase New Zealand's strengths on a global stage. It can also bring the world’s thought leaders to Wellington. International conferences provide economic benefits for the country, while host organisations can gain reputational, financial, and knowledge benefits.

Benefits of bidding for a conference

Hosting a conference in Wellington has many benefits for you and your New Zealand colleagues.

  • Build a global profile: Establish your sector internationally and share knowledge and learnings.
  • Tap into new connections: Forge new research collaborations, business networks and trade opportunities, plus training and development opportunities.
  • Provide a global perspective: Expose your community to critical thinking from around the world. Provide a platform to empower your future leaders.
  • Showcase expertise: Enhance awareness of research programmes to secure new funding.
  • Influence policy and change: Engage in informed discussions that can shape policy. Open up the potential to drive social, environmental, and cultural change.
  • Attract talent: Showcase New Zealand to global industry talent as a great place to work and live. 
Delegates attend the RANZCOG ASM at Tākina.
Four people in business dress are served by a waiter wearing black. They stand on the balcony of Tākina, looking out over Wellington.
WaterNZ spread exhibition booths across 2 levels of Tākina for its conference.
Three tourists in business casual wear walk with rolling carry-on luggage while two conference attendees are chatting inside the lobby at Naumi Hotel in Wellington. A round floral bench with a big statue of pink flowers is centred in the sunlit room.

How to bid for and host a conference

Bidding for and hosting international meetings can seem complex. Business Events Wellington (BEW) is there to support you every step of the way. The BEW team work with Tourism New Zealand’s Conference Assistance Programme to navigate the bidding process. This ensures that overseas conferences are successfully hosted in Wellington.

“The Business Events Wellington team believed in us from the start and never doubted our dream to make this happen.”

Zahra Champion, BIOTechNZ executive director, Life Sciences Summit, Wellington

How Business Events Wellington can help with a bid

Business Events Wellington offers free and impartial advice. The team can help with the initial planning process, through to finding venues and accommodation. They can also recommend incredible delegate experiences.

Get in touch

Contact Louise Woodburn to learn more about hosting an international conference in Wellington.

Contact us

Looking for more?

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Person talking at a lecturn at Tākina.

International Conference Leaders’ Fund

A fund to help university researchers bid and host international conferences. Apply now and become a future international conference leader in Wellington.

The view of Wellington and Oriental Bay from Mount Victoria lookout point at sunset.

Why conference in Wellington

Compact, connected and creative, New Zealand’s capital offers everything you need to make your next conference impactful.

The Tākina stall set up at a convention, with people walking around.

Support for your event

Business Events Wellington offers free advice when planning your business event or conference around suppliers, delegate experiences, or bidding for events.

(L-R) Stacey Pilcher, Jorja Robertson, Belinda Yeo, Loryn Blaiklie, Angela Leung, and Louise Woodburn.

Meet the team

The Business Events Wellington team are approachable and highly skilled professionals, with years of industry and event planning experience.

Drone image of Te Papa and Tākina at sunset, with view of Wellington harbour, Mount Victoria and city in background.

Sustainable events

Wellington is ambitious when it comes to addressing climate change. Here are some suggestions for hosting a more sustainable event.

Four people in white lab coats are working in a medical lab.

Sectors of strength

Wellington has a a reputation for being progressive and impactful, and is full of talented people. Making it the ideal place to host your next conference.

A presentation at the Lie Science Summit at Shed 6 located on Queens Wharf in Wellington Central.

Wellington Advocate Network

Be part of Business Events Wellington's community of industry leaders helping to attract conferences to New Zealand’s capital city.